I Am The One Who Claps Once

Why I Always Clap Once…

Your Medium story amuses me. I shall clap once.

You gave me “Four Habits I Must Adopt to Be More Productive.” That’s helpful. I clap once.

You explained, “How 3D Printed Houses Can Fight Climate Change.” Intriguing. I clap once.

You revealed, “The Six Things That Only Dogs Know About Happiness.” Touching. Here’s a clap for that.

Do I clap more than once? No.

I clap just once, to let you know you that have given me the smallest, non-zero amount of pleasure from reading a story.

You showed me so many things: “How to Write Like A Rockstar,” “How to Read Like An Autodidact,” and “How To Travel to 50 Countries Without a Suitcase.”

In a mere 750–2,000 words, you distilled a useful life skill, an overlooked piece of the human experience, or a droll anecdote from the one time you had a threesome. And for that, I clap once.

I don’t want to give you the idea that I’m easily impressed.

When I was a child, my father told me, “never show too much appreciation, kid. Keep ’em hungry for your approval. Keep ’em guessing. That’s what drives the ladies wild.”

Then he patted me on the head and handed me a penny for Christmas, the one day of the year he agreed to spend time with my mother and me. He was my hero.